Glentoran fans have hit out at the East Belfast club’s Irish Cup expulsion by holding a banner protest prior to Saturday’s Danske Bank Premiership game at the Ballymena Showgrounds.
As the two teams ran out at the Warden Street venue, a large black and white sign was unfurled by a section of the travelling support in the away stand.
The banner, measuring approximately 30 feet wide and 10 feet tall, included an Irish Football Association crest with a red cross through it.
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It bore the message: “The message is simple: Comet not fit for purpose.”
Glentoran were thrown out of the Samuel Gelston's Irish Cup last week after beating Championship leaders Newry City 1-0 in the quarter-finals at the BetMcLean Oval.
They were expelled after it was ruled that Glens midfielder Joe Crowe was ineligible to play even though the it was argued that the IFA’s COMET system had approved his participation.
The COMET system is used for registering players and listing match day line-ups.
IFA rules, however, clearly state that a club is “wholly responsible” for ensuring their player is eligible and that “suspensions are served”.
Glentoran are appealing the decision and boss Mick McDermott told the club’s YouTube channel on Friday that an official protest was lodged on Tuesday.
He said: “We have lodged our paperwork so we followed the process and we will continue to follow the process. The right to appeal is there.
“We’ll go through that and we’ll see where it takes us. I’ve no idea of the timelines in terms of hearings of decisions, but I’m sure they’ll act swiftly.
“We’ll see how the next decision goes. If we need to move on, we’ll move on. If we need to hold our hand up and step aside, we’ll do that. But we’ll do what’s right for Glentoran.”
Cliftonville and Crusaders will play in the Irish Cup semis on Friday April 1, with the second last-four tie expected on Saturday, April 2.
As things stand Newry City will face Ballymena United in the second semi-final, pending Glentoran’s appeal.
It emerged after Glentoran’s quarter-final with Newry that Crowe had not successfully completed a three-match suspension after picking up a three game ban playing for Glentoran Reserves.
The reserves did play three games prior to the Irish Cup tie, but one was in the Intermediate Cup, a competition the versatile 23-year-old wasn’t eligible to play in.
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